Wallis Liu

Who is Wallis Liu?

I was born in the south of China, in Guangdong Province as part of a big family. I have a twin brother, a younger brother and a younger sister.

I came across computers and programming for the first time in 1991 in senior high school, which sparked my interest in computer technology. At university, I majored in internal combustion engines, following in the footsteps of my father, who was an engine mechanic. During my university days, I nevertheless self-studied computer technology and did programming courses in my spare time.

After graduating from the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 1996, I got my first job as a piping designer at GSI, a shipyard in southern China. As I knew about computers and programming, I was also responsible for the system administration of the company’s 3D design software. Since then, my work has always revolved around shipbuilding, design, or 3D design software.

How did you get started at Cadmatic?

I crossed paths with Cadmatic for the first time at the beginning of 2012, while working for a Cadmatic customer in China. At the time, I felt that I needed a change in scenery and new challenges. I became interested when a friend of mine told me that Cadmatic was recruiting a support engineer in China. I applied and after the interview process and Cadmatic appointed me as Technical Manager in December 2012.

What are your most important tasks?

Customer support is the most significant part of my work. The support requests from customers include not only software-related issues but also network settings, interfaces with other software, and so on.

Product demonstrations to potential customers is another critical task I have. To give customers a real, intuitive experience, we always present our software in live demonstrations that cover the whole design process.

Customization development also takes up a lot of my time. I use our script to develop special tools for our customers. Due to Cadmatic’s very open system, users can develop powerful tools with the software’s script language. This is one of the reasons why I like Cadmatic so much.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

Product demonstrations to potential customers are always interesting and rewarding. The customer representatives are usually are at a high level in their organizations and have rich industrial experience and knowledge. I get to meet interesting people and I can always learn something from these meetings. They help me to improve my knowledge set and my ability to do my work.

What Cadmatic value guides you most in your work?

“Succeeding together” is the most important value for me. I understand it from two perspectives. Firstly, Cadmatic succeeds together with its customers. I am convinced that Cadmatic’s products can help our customers to improve their productivity significantly and help them to succeed in their field. It guides me in my daily work when I work with current or potential customers. I always listen carefully and find out their pain points and their most urgent requirements. Then I try my best to find the right solution. Secondly, Cadmatic succeeds together with its employees, which motivates me more in my work.

What is the market potential in China?

State-owned companies still play a major role in China's economic activity. Their activities closely follow the national strategy. Promoting "Industry 4.0" is currently a national strategy for the immediate future. “Intelligent manufacturing”, which is the integration of information technology and next-generation manufacturing technology, will be the primary manufacturing theme in state-owned companies in China. So, from my point of view, our information management system, eShare will be increasingly critical for Cadmatic in the Chinese market.

Is there anything that makes the Chinese market unique?

I think the most important thing is the massive size of the market. Coastal cities are well developed, but there are still many inland cities that are lagging in economic development. To keep a balance, the Chinese government needs to invest resources to foster economic development in these areas. This means that many factories will be built, and opportunities created for many industries. It is, of course, is also an opportunity for Cadmatic. Another unique market characteristic is that many design companies still use 2D tools, which creates further opportunities for Cadmatic.

What are the main target groups in your responsibility area?

Although I take part in almost all the Cadmatic business activities in China, my main focus areas are technology and working with the technical teams of our customers.

What are your customers’ needs? What value does Cadmatic add for them?

Technical teams need software that is easy to learn and use. They want designers to be able to do modeling work and generate outputs such as drawings and materials lists as efficiently and accurately as possible. From my point of view, Cadmatic is just what they need. Based on the experiences of existing customers, Cadmatic can help them shorten the design cycle and improve quality. It is also useful in enhancing, communication and cooperation between customers and their upstream and downstream partners, which helps to reduce the cost of projects.

What are your expectations for the future?

From the perspective of an engineer, I think Cadmatic is a perfect 3D design tool. Of course, with developments in software technology, user requirements will become more demanding. I hope that Cadmatic will always be at the forefront of developments in the industry.